Crime and Punishment
by WickedForGood13
Summary: As a result of his childhood friendship with Robin, Guy has remained staunchly loyal to the lord of Locksley since his departure with King Richard for the Crusades. But now that Robin has returned, what will he think of Guy's actions in his absence, and where do they go from here? Rated M for graphic depictions of sex, D/s elements, and bondage. ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

As Robin sat before the hearth at Locksley Manor, the flames mesmerizing and entrancing, transfixing him, he thought about how quickly his fate had changed. With one stroke of a blade, he had been wounded and sent home. And now that he was here, he found his home completely different than how he had left it: his people ruled by terror, taxed right out of their homes and into the street; in his absence, a usurper, Guy of Gisborne, had taken his place.

Robin didn't begrudge Guy either the Manor or the income generated by his considerable property. Robin and Guy had grown up together, after all, along with Marian of Knighton. All three had been close, although Robin and Guy had been undeniably closer.

He smiled, now, to think of those times that he and Guy had escaped into the forest together, exploring each other's bodies and pledging to always be true. Although Guy had been dependent upon the generosity of Robin's family for his survival, Robin had never held anything over his head, despite the lingering impression that Guy felt a trifle beholden to him, more aware of the differences between them. Still, Robin was convinced that Guy had only ever submitted to him by choice rather than out of deference to his position as lord of Locksley Manor.

At that moment, the very subject of Robin's thoughts walked in, glancing furtively behind him and quietly latching the door shut. "Gisborne!" spat Robin, rising to his feet in preparation of a fight. Guy surprised him, though, by crossing the distance separating them to kneel at Robin's feet and take his hand in his, kissing Robin's signet ring as a vassal would his lord's.

"Robin," Guy whispered breathlessly, pressing his forehead to the back of Robin's hand and remaining absolutely still, as though waiting for Robin to strike.

Stunned, Robin fell back into his seat, absently noting how Guy remained hunched over, and wondering how the other man would respond should he choose to draw his sword. Would his loyalty to Robin, as both his lover and his lord, hold? Or would he draw, too?

"What are you doing here, Gisborne?" asked Robin, unable to resist combing his fingers through Guy's black locks as he once had in a forest clearing in the aftermath of their lovemaking. If Guy's response were any indication – leaning into Robin's touch as though craving the contact – then he still remembered their time together, too.

"I know how my presence here may be interpreted," Guy began, "especially after this afternoon. I came to throw myself on your mercy and convince you that I'm as loyal to you as I ever was. You have to believe me when I say that I haven't been turned," Guy pleaded with him. "I'm still your man, Robin. From blade to hilt, I am yours completely – I swear it."

Robin sat considering him for several long moments, in which Guy struggled not to flinch under his scrutiny or turn away. At long last, though, he said, "Go upstairs, take off your clothes, and wait for me on the bed on your hands and knees." He rose to his feet in the same moment as Guy. "I'm going to tie you up and fuck you so hard, Gisborne," he muttered against the other man's lips, his filthy words a promise that was sealed in a fierce and bruising kiss. "Now, go on – get," said Robin, playfully slapping Guy's rear end, to which he responded by shooting a devilish smirk at the lord of Locksley from over his shoulder before disappearing up the stairs to do as he was bid.

Glad of the distraction that Guy's appearance offered, Robin pushed all thoughts of his men from his mind, instead collecting some rope with which to secure Guy to the bedposts and proceeding into the bedroom, where he found Guy as he'd directed him: on his hands and knees, naked, with his hair hanging in his eyes. Remembering their many trysts from before the Crusade, Robin easily slipped his role of master and commander as he bent over to lay the coils of rope on the ground.

"Good boy," he purred, approaching the bedside and stroking Guy's skin, watching as the muscles rippled underneath the surface and Guy arched his back like a cat. "So eager," he murmured, once more slapping Guy's rear, the sharp _crack!_ echoing throughout the otherwise silent bedroom.

Shedding his own clothes, Robin stepped up behind Guy, smiling to himself at how responsive the other man was, for Guy had begun to breathe more heavily and Robin was sure that his pulse had more than likely increased as well. Slipping a finger between Guy's cheeks, Robin teased and tormented the other man for several moments before deftly sliding into his hole, up to the first knuckle. Guy keened at the intrusion, and thrust his arse back towards Robin, trying to take more of his finger in.

"Naughty, naughty, Gisborne," Robin taunted him, slapping him hard on the arse once again. He held still after that, and refused to move his finger at all. Knowing that his continued defiance would only prolong his agony – although a small part of Guy undeniably enjoyed Robin's hand connecting with his arse; the feeling that followed was one of both pleasure and pain, a delicious combination – Guy eventually complied, following Robin's example and remaining still.

Robin abruptly thrust the entire length of his finger through Guy's unprepared entrance, relishing the high-pitched whine that his actions elicited. As an experienced lover, Robin knew exactly where to find that particular bundle of nerves that would make Guy see stars, yet he held off, a small petty part of him wanting to punish Guy for what his people had suffered under the tyranny of the new Sheriff. Yet he knew, without Guy having to say a word, that Guy had done what he could, protecting the people to the best of his abilities, and that his presence at Locksley was to ensure his people's continued protection. A realistic cover under the circumstances, Robin had to admit, but there could only be one lord of Locksley Manor.

Sliding a second finger in, which was quickly followed by a third, Robin stretched Guy's entrance while simultaneously driving him to the brink of release. When he finally entered Guy, he wanted the other man to be on edge, and then he was going to delay gratification for as long as he could manage. Cruel, he knew, and yet he couldn't help but want to see Guy punished. Flipping Guy over onto his back, Robin locked eyes with him and was surprised to see understanding and even acceptance there. Guy nodded, minutely, and Robin couldn't help but swoop down to capture his lips in a kiss, however brief, to express his gratitude to the other man for letting him do this to him, despite the great love that they had once shared.

As he pulled away, Robin's eyes swept over Guy's body, immediately alighting on a distinctive tattoo printed on his arm, the same as a Saracen had worn when attacking King Richard's camp and giving Robin the wound that had invalided him back home to England. "What is this?" he hissed, holding up Guy's arm so that he would know exactly to what he was referring.

Guy closed his eyes, as though steeling himself for some important task. "That's another reason for my coming here tonight. I wanted to confess that _I_ was the one leading a band of Saracens against King Richard back in Acre; _I_ was the one to wound you – though, in my defense, I will say that it was dark and I couldn't tell friend from foe; and _I_ am the reason you're now here in England rather than back in the Holy Land, fighting by King Richard's side and protecting him."

Robin's response was instantaneous: he drew his hand back and slapped Guy hard across the face. "You know what this means, don't you?" asked Robin, gripping Guy's chin tightly between his fingers and turning the other man's head back to face him.

"Yes," Guy replied. "You've done it before, and I knew full-well the consequences of my actions when I came here tonight."

"Very well." Retrieving the rope from where he had left it, Robin returned to the bed to find Guy already holding out his hands to be tied. Mastering his surprise, Robin quickly bound Guy to the headboard so that he was unable to move hardly at all. Next, he stretched out Guy's legs so that they were touching the bedposts, and then he bound those too. Now Guy was spread-eagle, bared to Robin's gaze and utterly vulnerable, with his arse on full display. "Yell all you want to, Gisborne," said Robin, fetching his belt and brandishing it like a weapon. "I intend to make this hurt."

"I understand," said Guy, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he waited.

_Thwack!_

Guy jumped, instinctually struggling against his bonds, startled by the impact of the first blow across his buttocks. He soon relaxed, though – as much as he could, anyway, considering the circumstances – and the second blow followed shortly after, this time landing on his upper thighs. After that, the blows fell like rain as he and Robin settled into a comfortable rhythm, with Robin dealing out Guy's punishment and Guy taking it in silence. Robin was surprised at Guy's stoicism, for he was striking with a considerable amount of strength and raising a number of painful looking welts atop Guy's pale creamy skin.

Finally, though, having decided that they both had had enough, Robin lowered the belt and said, "It's over." He then saw the price of Guy's silence as, despite being tied to the bed from multiple angles, the man seemed to visibly relax, his jaw popping audibly as he unclenched his fists, leaving behind bloody moon-shaped crescents from where his fingernails had dug painfully into the meaty flesh of his palms.

Moving to stand between Guy's legs, Robin looked down at him, a small smile tugging at his lips that was incongruous under the circumstances. "Well, well, Gisborne. Based on the evidence before me –" he gestured to Guy's fully erect cock and grasped the base, giving a sharp tug in warning. "– I'd say you rather enjoyed that."

"Well, you've always known how I like it, Robin," Guy replied.

"Hard and fast," Robin fired back. "And that's just what you're going to get. Your punishment's not over yet."

Yet despite having thought that he wanted this – Guy, at his mercy, just like the other man had begged for when he'd first appeared that evening – Robin now found himself at a loss. Taking a seat on the edge of the mattress, he stroked Guy's cheek with the pads of his fingers, gently turning Guy's head to face him. "What do you want?" he whispered, hoping that Guy wouldn't think him weak when before he had relied so heavily on Robin's strength.

"You, my lord," Guy whispered, his eyes smoldering with desire and darkened by lust. "I just want you."

"Then you shall have me," said Robin, bending his head to kiss Guy sweetly on the lips, their first tender exchange since laying eyes on each other earlier that afternoon. Straddling Guy's hips, Robin leaned forward so that he was stretched across Guy's upper body, their bare chests pressed close together. Whispering in his ear, Robin said, "Don't be shy, Gisborne. I want to hear you. I want everyone from Nottingham to Jerusalem to know that you're mine!"

"Your wish is my command," Guy panted, though not without great effort.

With that, Robin eased the tip of his cock into Guy's puckered hole, taking his time and wanting to savor this moment – the joining of two souls that had long been separated. Guy, meanwhile, struggled against his bonds, trying to take in more of Robin's cock just as he had his finger.

"Robin, please," he begged, muscles straining as he fought desperately to touch Robin, who seemed to be just out of his reach.

"Ah, ah, ah," Robin chided him. "Patience is a virtue, Gisborne. Or haven't you heard?"

"Damn your patience and damn your virtue. Just take me!" Guy demanded.

"My, my!" Robin exclaimed. "Such language. Perhaps I should leave you here like this until you learn some manners. Or maybe a few more strokes of my belt will teach you a lesson that'll stick."

"Yes, yes – anything," Guy babbled nonsensically. "Beat me – I deserve it – or leave me. But do something, please. I've missed you, Robin. I need you, _now_, please."

"Well, since you asked so nicely," said Robin, a devilish smirk of his own playing across his lips. Suddenly, he slammed forward, driving his cock fully into Guy and drawing a strangled scream from the other man's throat.

"R-Robin," Guy whimpered, eyes squeezed tightly shut even as tears leaked from underneath the lids.

"You know you deserve this, Gisborne," Robin whispered, still sheathed within Guy as he leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "You claim to be protecting my people, and yet you do nothing to end the Sheriff's tyranny. So tell me, _Guy_ – why should I waste my time on you?"

Guy lay there motionless, panting for breath.

"I demand an answer, Gisborne," said Robin. "I'm waiting."

"I can- I can help you," Guy rasped, struggling to form a coherent thought with Robin still inside him and refusing to move. "The Sheriff trusts me; I'm in his confidence. I can be your inside man. Just, please, for the love of all that is holy – _move_!"

Rather than answer with words, Robin instead withdrew from Guy, only to slam forward again, harder than before. He continued to set a punishing pace while Guy simply lay there, taking it all in his stride. There was nothing else he could do, after all. Robin had him at his mercy, just as he'd begged for, and the lord of Locksley was not about to release him from his service. At that moment, Robin's hips stuttered, and he released his seed, followed shortly after by Guy himself, who spilled across his chest and between their bodies.

Robin collapsed on top of Guy's chest, smearing the other man's seed between their bodies and creating a substance that caused them to stick to each other. Both were panting heavily, and if Robin had chosen to look, he would have seen more tears leaking from the corners of Guy's eyes and running down his cheeks.

"Permission to speak, my lord?" asked Guy tentatively. As much as he enjoyed it when Robin was rough with him, he had no desire to unnecessarily incur his lover's displeasure and thereby earn himself another thrashing. It was going to be hard enough sitting astride a horse tomorrow, and probably for the next week as well. No need to add to his discomfort.

"Of course, Guy," Robin replied, his voice becoming drowsy now that his body had been sated.

"I really _have_ missed you," said Guy, "As has Marian. We weren't sure if you were ever coming back, although we hoped and prayed that God would be merciful. We want our children to know their honorary uncle."

Robin raised his head, and was shocked by what he saw: Guy looked utterly wrecked – his face was as red as a ripe tomato, and if Robin looked more closely, then he would see that the points at which he had secured Guy were rubbed raw – and yet he lay there conversing with Robin as though nothing was wrong.

"I am such a fool," Robin muttered to himself, leaping to his feet and retrieving a bowl with water in it to rinse off their bodies.

He passed the soaked flannel over himself briefly, and then turned his attention to Guy, tenderly cleaning his chest and abdomen before carefully wiping over his hole. He then pressed the cool cloth to Guy's arse, which did much to take away the burn and sting from when Robin had laid into him with his belt. Finally, Robin released Guy from his bonds and immediately set about rubbing at the pressure points to return feeling to Guy's limbs, as his wrists and ankles had gone practically numb from being tied up for so long and had been chafed from Guy's incessant tugging on the ropes binding him.

"Better?" asked Robin, helping Guy onto the bed and burrowing into his chest. He felt the other man's arms wrap around him and smiled. Apparently Guy wasn't _too_ upset with him over his treatment. Robin sobered, then, and raised his head to meet Guy's eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly. Taking one of Guy's hands in his, he kissed the red welt encircling the wrist. "I was a beast to take out all my frustration on you simply because you were convenient."

"Don't apologize, Robin," said Guy. "I wanted it as much as you. Besides, you were well within your right as my liege lord to punish me for Acre. I don't begrudge you that."

"Then you are a better man than I, Guy," said Robin. "Let's talk about something pleasanter, though. Tell me about your children. And how's Marian? I haven't managed to see her yet."

"Well," Guy began. "We were married shortly after you left. Neither of us were sure if you would ever return, or in what state. I wanted to protect Marian, and as she didn't want to end up an old maid, she accepted my proposal. We have two children: one boy, Geoffrey, my heir, and a girl, Eleanor. We're currently expecting a third. If it's a boy, we're going to name him Edward, for Marian's father; and if it's a girl, then we'll name her Guinevere. You know how Marian's always enjoyed tales of King Arthur's court and the love affair between Lancelot and the Queen."

Robin shared a laugh with Guy as they both recalled Marian ordering them around when they were younger, demanding that they play 'King Arthur' with her. Marian was always Guinevere, of course, while Robin was Arthur and Guy was Lancelot. "And what of Acre?" asked Robin eventually. "What explanation could there possibly be for _that_?"

"I was under the Sheriff's orders to attack and kill the King," said Guy. "I had to obey, or at least appear to do so. Otherwise my cover was at risk – and possibly Marian's, too. You, unfortunately, got in the way. If I'd known who you were, then of course I would have stood down. But it was dark, and I couldn't see. I'm sorry."

"I know you're sorry," Robin replied evenly. "Leastways, you are now that I'm through with you." His hand trailed down the length of Guy's side, before reaching around to grope his arse and thereby prove his point that if Guy hadn't been repentant before, then he certainly was _now_.

"Right you are, Robin," said Guy, chuckling softly even as he tried to suppress a hiss of pain.

Robin soothingly stroked Guy's hip in an attempt to ease some of the other man's tension. He was rewarded by him going limp, though his hold on Robin never once lessened. Pleased with his efforts, Robin began to also fade, his eyelids going heavy as he allowed himself to fully relax in the safety of his own home. He heard a voice whisper in his ear and felt the tender caress of a pair of lips brush against his forehead. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

"Welcome home, Robin," murmured Guy as he pressed his lips to the slighter man's brow.

* * *

**I have a dark and twisted mind sometimes. If you've actually read this all the way through, then I commend you. Please leave a review telling me what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

_I knew it would hurt to ride_, Guy thought wryly to himself as he bounced painfully up and down in the saddle, his arse throbbing all the while. He chanced a glance back at Robin, who, with his hands tied, followed meekly along behind Guy's horse. At least he had managed to regain his feet. When Guy had first set off, Robin had been unprepared, and as such, had been dragged a considerable distance until Guy had mercifully halted and allowed for Robin to stand.

Turning his face forward again, Guy could still feel Robin's burning gaze boring a hole through him and making the hair at his nape stand on end. If his arse hurt now, how would he feel once Robin had finished with him after this latest failure? He'd restrained his lord, after all, and humiliated him in front of his people. If he walked away from this in one piece he would consider himself lucky.

Robin, meanwhile, kept his eyes resolutely locked on Gisborne's back, doing his best to project all the love and forgiveness that was in his heart. He knew that Guy had only been following the Sheriff's orders when he had threatened to cut out the Locksley villagers' tongues; he knew that Guy hadn't meant to knock him off his feet and drag him behind his horse, publically shaming him before his people. And he also knew that Guy would expect for him to retaliate. Well, maybe he would. But probably not in the manner that Guy desired.

As they entered the Nottingham market, Robin's gaze fell on a young woman with dark hair that was pinned beneath a veil. Her clothes were of the finest material, yet they couldn't disguise the slight swell of her belly. It may have been five years since Robin had last laid eyes on her – then, she had been a mere maid, waving goodbye with tears running down her cheeks – but Marian still looked as beautiful as she had on the day he left. Her eyes met his, then, and they widened in surprise before she carefully assumed a blank expression of neutrality.

"Husband," she called, weaving through the shoppers to approach Guy's horse.

"Marian," he replied, bending over his saddle to kiss her on the lips.

Although Robin knew that Guy's heart belonged to him and that his marriage to Marian was one of convenience rather than of love, he still was unable to control an irrational surge of jealousy at seeing Guy greet another in such a way as had always before been reserved for him alone. And then, as Guy straightened in the saddle once more, Robin saw a slight tightening around his eyes at the action and knew that Guy still suffered from his punishment the other night, for only someone who truly knew the leather-clad knight well would be able to recognize the signs that he was in any pain at all. Marian apparently saw it too, for she shot Robin a venomous glare before ignoring him completely in favor of attending to her husband.

"Will you be requiring me up at the castle later?" she asked casually, but Robin caught the sideways glance she sent his way, and knew that this was her way of asking if Guy needed her help in freeing him.

"Perhaps," said Guy. "Where are the children?"

"I left them with their nurse Mathilda at Knighton," she replied.

"Good, that's probably for the best." Guy sat tall in the saddle for a moment, thinking, as he tried to move hardly at all. "Why don't you pay a visit to the dungeon once you're finished shopping?" he suggested at long last. "Act as though you've only just heard of Robin's capture and say that you want to see him before he's locked away – for sentimental reasons, you know."

"As my lord commands, I shall obey," said Marian with a cheeky smile as she curtsied once to Guy before turning on her heel and striding away.

Robin's senses were left reeling as Guy rode on ahead, leading him by his bound hands through the bustling marketplace. Marian was so different from the girl he'd known, and the changes wrought by her marriage to Guy were astounding. Being himself well-versed in the language and subtle nuances of court, Robin understood more than had been revealed through Guy and Marian's words, and he was touched that both would still be on his side even after he had abandoned them in favor of winning glory and renown by fighting in the Crusades at his king's side.

Once free of the busy shoppers and stall-owners selling their wares, Guy rode through the gate to Nottingham Castle. A groom immediately stepped forward to take charge of Guy's horse as he swung a leg over his steed and dismounted. Untying the lead line that had bound Robin to his saddle, Guy refused to meet Robin's eyes, instead quickly turning his back and tugging on the rope in his hands to encourage Robin forward. The irony was not lost on him that just the night before _he_ had been the one tied and helpless, at Robin's mercy. And now their positions were reversed, however much he wished they weren't.

Guy led Robin down numerous flights of stairs, pulling needlessly on the rope when there were others present and leaving Robin alone otherwise. Neither said a word, too afraid of being overheard. They arrived at the dungeons and an old crone unlocked the door to an interrogation room. Guy dismissed the haggard old man, and once the door was shut and latched, he turned his attention to cutting Robin's bonds.

"Well, this is certainly a switch," said Robin jovially.

"And not one that I'm proud of," Guy responded gravely. "I'll get you out of here, and then you can do with me as you will."

"Don't be ridiculous, Guy!" exclaimed Robin. "I whipped you just the other day. I'm not going to punish you again so soon."

Their argument – if it could be called that – was interrupted by a knock at the door and a soft feminine voice whispering, "It's Marian!" Guy moved to unlock the door and let her in, immediately stepping back and lowering his eyes to give her and Robin at least the semblance of privacy. Although he had been included in their childhood games, and although he and Marian were now married, he still felt the differences between them, being of a lower class than both his lover and his wife.

"Robin!" cried Marian, running to embrace him and throwing her arms around his neck. "I've missed you. What were the Crusades like? Were you injured? Is that why you're home before the king? How are you coping in the woods? Why would you let yourself be captured?"

"Slow down, Marian," said Robin, laughing. "One question at a time. I've missed you, too, by the way. As to your questions: the Crusades were different than what I expected, more barbaric and less well-planned than I would have thought; I _was_ injured and sent back here, to England, which is actually what Guy and I were discussing the other night when he paid me a visit; the woods are fine, as you should well know, having spent many hours there yourself as a girl; and I allowed myself to be captured because the Sheriff was threatening to cut out the tongues of my villagers if they didn't tell him where I was."

"So what's the plan for getting you out of here?" asked Marian after she had absorbed everything that Robin had told her.

Guy stepped forward, then, and said, "Robin should appear to have overpowered me. As he's a known friend of yours, Marian, it shouldn't be questioned if he leaves you alone—"

At that moment, they were interrupted once again by Much bursting through the door with his shield up and a sword raised, crying out, "This is a rescue!"

"You took your time, didn't you?" Robin teased him good-naturedly.

Luckily, Much had thought ahead and brought Robin's weapons with him. He then left the room to give the trio a moment of privacy, and with one final embrace, Marian followed after him, leaving Guy and Robin alone together.

"Make it look good, Robin," said Guy, moving to stand directly in front of the outlaw with his sword unsheathed yet hanging loosely at his side, and offering no defense for the coming assault. "I'll visit you tonight in the woods, at our place, and I'll make up this injustice to you."

"You don't owe me anything, Guy," said Robin. "I don't blame you for what's happened today."

"But I do," Guy swiftly countered. "And I won't feel better until you've made me suffer."

"On your own head be it, then," said Robin sadly, before crowding into Guy's personal space and crushing their lips together, one of his hands straying to fondle Guy's arse. Guy, meanwhile, parted his lips willingly to Robin and allowed the other man to plunder his mouth with his tongue until both were left gasping for air. Pulling away, Robin whispered breathily, "Tonight," before drawing back his arm and punching Guy square in the face so that he was sent sprawling.

Without a backwards glance for his lover, Robin left the chamber and, gesturing to Much, descended the stairs along with the rest of his newly founded gang, leaving Marian to tend to Guy. Re-entering the room, she found him flat on his back with his sword knocked out of his hand and a massive bruise already forming around his eye. "I see that Robin didn't hold back," she muttered tersely.

"It was nothing more than I deserve," Guy replied.

"Robin can't always be your conscience, Guy," Marian remarked. "You can't go to him every time you've done something that you think is wrong and expect for him to punish you."

"He needs it as much as I do, Marian, maybe even more," Guy whispered, falling back against her lap and enjoying the soothing feeling of her fingers carding through his hair, "Especially now that he's a dispossessed lord. He needs to assert his power and control over someone, and I'm more than happy to be there for him, as it happens to suit my purpose as well as his. Besides, it's not like he's unnecessarily cruel or vicious; he never goes past what he knows either of us can endure."

Marian continued tending to Guy's swollen eye in silence for several moments, gathering her thoughts. "I knew about you two long before you both came to me and confessed the truth of your secret trysts," she said at last. "Did you never question my lack of surprise? I knew what you did and who you were doing it with. When Robin left, I was undeniably hurt, but I realized his leaving would have hurt you more. I was only his friend, while you were his lover. That's partly why I agreed to your proposal: to secure for you a lifelong companion who would understand your connection to Robin and who wouldn't be jealous of you having already given away your heart to another."

"I understand, and I'm grateful for the compassion that you have shown me," said Guy, gazing back at her steadily. "I realize that when you married me, you were doing so below your station – after all, I'm only a common knight, while _you_ are a great lady of high standing – not to mention denying yourself the chance for making a love match. I've always tried my best to please you, and I hope to have succeeded, at least in some small part."

"And you have," Marian assured him. She'd never heard Guy speak so disparagingly about himself – not even when they were children together – and she could only suppose that this came from his perceived failings where Robin was concerned. Hopefully, though, as time went on, his opinion would improve, for she had never before imagined that he thought so little of himself.

Guy picked himself up from off the floor and offered Marian his hand to help her to her feet. "Let's go see our children before I have to sneak off to the forest." Marian knew better than to try to persuade her husband otherwise, so she merely kept silent and followed alongside as they made their way to the castle's courtyard, where they summoned their horses and rode on to Knighton.

* * *

Later that same evening found Guy sneaking furtively through the trees on the way to his meeting place with Robin. He'd spent a pleasant dinner with his wife and two children, afterwards allowing for Geoffrey ride his back and trying not to imagine Robin doing the same to him.

As a distant church bell tolled the hour, Marian had taken Geoffrey by the hand, while Guy scooped Eleanor into his arms. Making their way into the nursery, where the nurse they had hired, Mathilda, also slept throughout the night, Marian settled Geoffrey into his own bed and Guy tucked Eleanor beneath the blankets in her cradle. Guy had then read to them all, a fairy tale about knights and fair maidens that held both his children and wife enraptured. Once the two youngest were asleep, Guy had then seen to it that Marian was settled with a book in front of the fireplace before finally departing.

And now, here he was, cautiously approaching the sprawling oak tree that had been witness to many of his and Robin's secret rendezvous in their youth, both those tame and not. "Robin!" he called out quietly. When there was no response, he tried again, "My lord!" At that, Robin appeared from behind the massive trunk, cutting an imposing figure in the muted moonlight.

"You took your time getting here!" he barked imperiously, his words to Much from that afternoon sounding harsher than he might have otherwise intended.

"Forgive me my delay, sir," said Guy, bowing his head as he fell to his knees before Robin.

"On your feet, man, and take off your clothes," Robin ordered. "I want to look at you."

Following Robin's bidding with alacrity, Guy had soon divested himself of the many layers he was forced to wear as a knight, the buckles to his leather coat and pants giving him the most difficulty. But at last, he stood before Robin in the nude, resisting the urge to cover his manhood in shame and trying not to shiver as a cool breeze blew through the forest clearing.

Robin circled him as a predator might his prey, before dropping to his knees, carefully poking and prodding at Guy's arse, even spreading his cheeks to see how he would respond. Guy was ashamed to say that he squealed like a stuck pig. However, Robin had his answer. He'd been wondering how rough Guy could take it that night after his previous punishment, and he now knew that Guy wouldn't be able to handle much. His skin was clearly sensitive to touch, and was mottled with yellowing bruises and numerous welts from where Robin had struck him.

Standing once more, Robin strode towards the tree's base. "Come," he called behind him, expecting for Guy to follow. As Guy approached, Robin held up a length of rope and gestured to the ground. "On your knees," he said, "And cross your hands above your head."

Guy did as Robin said, and his hands were quickly tied together and then secured to the branch hanging above them. Now Guy was bound and helpless, just as he had been the other night when he had arrived at Locksley to throw himself on Robin's mercy. Robin stood a distance away, his arms crossed and a familiar smirk playing across his face.

"Oh, the things I could do to you when you're like this," he purred.

Swallowing convulsively, Guy found the courage with which to answer Robin. "Then why don't you, my lord?" he replied, his voice sounding more breathless than he would have liked.

"Don't tempt me, Gisborne," Robin snarled. "You're here to serve _me_ tonight. I'm not going to lay a hand on you, owing to the fact that I've already marked you and I refuse to do so further."

Guy refrained from asking what Robin had planned for him, knowing that he'd find out soon enough, and questioning Robin would only anger his lord. Robin, meanwhile, was finding it hard to maintain his composure when all he wanted was to take Guy in his arms and hold him while making love to him all through the night. But Guy was there for a reason, and Robin could not afford to lower his guard, not while he was there as Guy's lord rather than as his lover.

Turning his back on Guy, he removed his clothes, making sure to pile them next to Guy's, before facing his captive once again. He thought to himself that Guy really was attractive bound as he was and with his hair hanging down to shield his eyes. "Look at me, Gisborne!" snapped Robin, his voice cracking through the silence of the clearing like a whip. Guy flinched, as though he'd been struck, and dared to raise his eyes to Robin's face. The look in his lord's eyes made him want to shrink away, but he stood firm and held his ground as a soldier would in battle, as Robin himself had while fighting in the Crusades.

Robin had grown hard as he watched the myriad emotions flicker across Guy's face. Ashamed as he was to admit it, Robin found himself turned on by talking down to Guy and making him feel lower than the dirt on his shoes. And if Guy's response was any indication, then he also was turned on by being treated in such a manner, for his member was now engorged whereas before it had been limp and soft.

Treading forward softly on the forest's bed of leaves, Robin stood directly in front of Guy so that his own member was at eye-level with the bound man. His voice once more breaking through the stillness around them, Robin said, "You're going to suck until I come. And if you don't, there will be consequences."

Hesitantly, it having been several years since last doing anything like this, Guy pressed his lips to the tip of Robin's cock in the semblance of a kiss, before opening his mouth and swallowing him down whole. Bound as he was, Guy had a limited amount of control, so it was Robin who set the pace, pulling in and out in rapid succession and thoroughly fucking Guy's face. He felt his release building and knew that it wouldn't take much to set him over the edge. Guy daring to lick a stripe along the underside of his cock was all that it took for him to see stars. Abruptly pulling out of Guy's mouth, Robin released his seed all over Guy's face, leaving the other man helpless to wipe away the sticky substance.

Ever the thoughtful lord, Robin knelt down so that he was level with Guy. "Would you like to come?" he asked, his hand hovering over Guy's leaking cock.

"_Please, sir_," Guy rasped, his throat clogged with tears from waiting for Robin's permission.

Without warning, Robin wrapped his hand around Guy's shaft and pulled. Once was all it took, and Guy was spilling his seed just as Robin had, long spurts of come that landed on the forest floor. When it was all over, both men were breathing heavily; Guy was leaning forward, his bound arms all that held him up. Seeing this, Robin left, only to return with a knife that he used to cut Guy free, quickly wrapping his arms around the other man's torso when it looked as though he would collapse.

"Is that to be my punishment?" asked Guy.

"If you like," said Robin, shrugging his shoulders in attempted nonchalance. Truthfully, he found the thought of punishing Guy distasteful and only did so when absolutely necessary, as it had been when he'd discovered that Guy was the Saracen to have attacked him and the reason he'd been sent home wounded. Shaking his head to clear it of such dismal thoughts, Robin rose to his feet and held out his hand in a peace offering to Guy. "Come on," he said, "There's a stream nearby where we can wash off. You really need to clean your face!"

"And whose fault is that?" Guy groused, though there was no heat behind his words.

Laughing good-naturedly, Robin clasped hands with Guy and the two walked towards the promised stream, unashamedly naked. Bending down by the water's edge, Guy cupped his hands and filled them with water before splashing his face to cleanse it of Robin's seed. Sensing Robin's presence behind him, he assumed his usual position on his hands and knees, expecting for Robin to quickly prepare him for penetration and then take him, hard and fast, as was the norm when they coupled. Instead, Robin gently stroked the prominent nob of Guy's spine, his hand skimming lightly over the other man's arse while being mindful of the bruises and cuts marring the previously unblemished skin, and took a seat next to him.

"You haven't been taking care of yourself," he said conversationally, though there was none of the accusation in his tone that Guy would have expected and had heard on countless occasions from Marian.

"Your people go without, so I do as well," said Guy. "I can only do so much in place of you, their rightful lord. My power is limited, even as the Sheriff's trusted right-hand man."

Robin turned his head to speak directly at Guy, hurrying to get his words out before the other could interrupt. "I know you still feel that you should be punished, and you want for me to take you as recompense for your actions earlier today. But I don't want to hurt you when I already did so just two days previous. You can barely ride a horse as it is! I don't want to put you through any additional pain. Therefore, I thought perhaps that you would be amenable to taking me instead. You've done it before – at my urging, I know – but you've always enjoyed yourself in the end. What do you say?"

Guy sighed heavily, as if he'd known what Robin was going to say before he'd even opened his mouth to speak. "You are my lord, and if it is your wish, then I will take you and gladly. You are correct in saying that I enjoy myself – to a certain extent, at least – but it is hard for me to be in control when I am most used to being the one submitting. When we are together, I sometimes have trouble separating my lord from my lover, and thus it is difficult for me to take you when I see the former instead of the latter."

"What would help you to be more at ease?" queried Robin, wanting to comfort his distraught lover, for such Guy would always be; even that morning, when Guy had been securing Robin's bonds and pulling him along behind his horse, Robin had seen his lover, not an enemy.

"I don't know." Guy ran a hand through his hair, looking askance at Robin and admiring the way that the moonlight shimmered on his bare skin. He found the sight entrancing, and slowly crawled towards Robin on his hands and knees. Although Robin was startled by Guy's sudden movements, he soon relaxed, leaning towards Guy to brush their lips together before laying back down on the ground and thereby giving Guy an incentive to follow through with his intentions.

Despite being nervous, Guy stilled the part of his heart that quailed at penetrating his lord's defenses, the part of him that said it was _his_ place to submit rather than Robin's; instead, he tried to see his lover Robin rather than the lord of Locksley. He stretched himself out along the length of Robin's body and pressed his lips to Robin's, congratulating himself when Robin opened his mouth to him. Using similar tactics to Robin's own, Guy waited until Robin was suitably distracted before snaking a hand down between their bodies in search of Robin's entrance. He knew that he had found it when he felt Robin gasp into the kiss they were sharing, his own mouth swallowing the sounds that Robin made.

Slipping a single finger inside, Guy moved the appendage in circular motions until he felt Robin's muscles relax and accept the intrusion. He then added a second finger, encouraged to scissor the two at feeling Robin open further to him. Lastly, he added a third finger, searching around until he found the bundle of nerves that he knew from personal experience would make Robin see stars. Robin, meanwhile, was currently moaning and writhing under Guy's weight, it having been many more years than Guy since he had last engaged in such acts. He was close to tears, just wanting to feel Guy fill him up and make him whole inside. Ignoring for the moment that Guy had had Marian while he had had no one, Robin wondered at how the other man had lasted so long without coupling for love, instead merely doing so for the sake of procreation.

Having decided that Robin was sufficiently prepared, Guy lightly stroked Robin's cock to collect drops of liquid that were leaking from the tip and spreading them over his own member to ease its passage. He then lined himself up with Robin's entrance and looked questioningly at the man below, giving him one last chance to back out. Robin nodded once, wordlessly, and Guy slid seamlessly in, the initial penetration offering only the slightest resistance as Robin's muscles attempted to reject the foreign object seeking entrance. Once Guy was fully seated, he held still, waiting patiently for Robin to accustom himself to the intrusion. As Robin rolled his hips experimentally, Guy took that as his signal to continue, and pulled out before sliding back in.

Guy set a less punishing pace than Robin would have had he been the one with Guy at his mercy, although Guy was by no means less passionate than Robin. In the midst of their coupling, he found the wherewithal to guide Robin's hands to his arse, encouraging the other man to grip his buttocks and dig his nails in when he eventually reached his peak. Through the haze fogging his brain as he was assaulted by his climax, Robin had enough energy to glare half-heartedly at Guy, equal parts amused and annoyed that he had found a way to punish himself further when Robin had already declared his debt paid. Ignoring his lover's stern look, Guy followed shortly after, bowing his head low and burying it in the crook of Robin's neck as he spilled his seed within.

Robin was startled to feel the sting of salty hot liquid against his bare skin, and pulled back to find Guy's face wet with tears. "What is it?" he asked softly, stroking Guy's cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "Have I hurt you?"

"No." Guy shook his head vehemently. "I don't want to leave. You've only just come back, and now we're to be separated again. What will happen to you out here? I know you, Robin. You'll pester the Sheriff, who in turn will send me out to hunt you; and I'll have to obey his orders if I'm to be of any use to you inside the castle. What's going to happen to _us_?"

"We'll find a way," Robin assured him with more hope than he felt.

They remained joined for many moments, neither one wanting to be the first to pull away. At length, though, Guy was forced to slip out of Robin, helping his lover to the stream to wash off. Still naked, they walked slowly back to the clearing where they had left their clothes, dressing in silence and shooting the other covert glances all the while. Finally, though, their parting could no longer be put off. Robin was the one to approach Guy, knowing as he did how the other man felt about himself – that he was Robin's subject first, and as such, unfit to make a move unless Robin did so. Although Guy was initially stiff in Robin's arms, he soon relaxed and returned the embrace, holding Robin tightly as if he would never let go.

"I love you," he whispered in the other man's ear, pressing a kiss to Robin's cheek before pulling back in alarm, afraid of having overstepped some boundary or other. From what Robin could see in the moonlight, his face was flushed a faint pink and he chuckled lightly, waving off the apology that he already knew to be on Guy's lips.

"I love you, too," he replied, meeting Guy's eyes to let him know that he was serious, both about his feelings and about them as a couple. "We'll work something out, I promise. I'm not giving you up so easily, Guy of Gisborne."

"Nor am I giving you up." Encouraged by Robin's declaration, Guy once more took a step forward until he was peering down at the slightly shorter man. Pressing his forehead briefly to Robin's, Guy tilted his face to the side until his lips were slanted across Robin's and they were kissing. Although they had shared other kisses during that night's coupling, this kiss was sweeter than those had been, less hurried and certainly much less bruising. Their lips moved together, as one, exploring and mapping the other's mouth as if this were the last time they were ever going to kiss. And for all they knew, it might be – though not if they had any say in the matter.

"Goodnight, Guy," Robin whispered, forcing himself to pull away and take a step back less he was further tempted.

"Goodnight, Robin," said Guy, following Robin's example and distancing himself from his lover.

As if by unspoken agreement, each then turned and walked away in opposite directions, pausing once to look behind and raise their hand in farewell before continuing on their way, repeatedly glancing over their shoulder until they were both out of the other's sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Kneeling on the floor next to his and Marian's bed, Guy buried his face in his hands and wept. Despite appearances to the contrary, he didn't enjoy working for the Sheriff, least of all because the Sheriff's goals were the complete opposite of Robin's, to whom Guy owed his absolute loyalty. At the thought of Robin, Guy cried all the harder, for today he had stood by and been unable to do anything while one of Robin's men was viciously murdered. Guy envied Roy, for while the man may have been oppressed by the Sheriff's strict regime and forced to flee to the woods, he had been free to go down proclaiming himself as Robin Hood's man. Meanwhile, Guy had no such luxury. If he died, only a few select people would know of his true allegiance.

Footsteps sounded behind him, and a cool slender hand rested itself on his shoulder as Marian turned Guy towards her, allowing for him to bury his head in her chest and shut out the rest of the world. "Go to him," she whispered soothingly in his ear. "You know that you'll never feel better until you do."

"Why would he want to see me?" asked Guy between shuddering breaths that rattled his whole frame. "I let one of his men die today. I stood by and did nothing while my own men brutally slaughtered him – and in front of his mother, no less. So tell me, _my lady_, why should Robin want to see _me_?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Marian replied, glancing up as Robin sprang down from the window sill where he had been perched to land lightly on his feet.

The outlaw flung his bow and quiver onto the bed before moving to crouch down by Gisborne's side, taking Marian's place as he wrapped his arms around the trembling man and holding Guy upright where he otherwise might have collapsed. "It's all right," he whispered, one hand tightening in Guy's silky black locks while the other gripped his waist with a bruising amount of force. "I'm here, now. Everything's going to be fine."

"How can you say that?" Guy's voice was harsh as he struggled to breathe past the sobs threatening to overwhelm him. "And why are you even here? How can you be so calm?"

Exchanging troubled looks with Marian from over Guy's head, Robin simply continued to hold him, swaying back and forth in place and rocking Guy like a child. Marian stood, then, bending to kiss the top of Guy's head and pausing to gently rest her hand on Robin's shoulder. "Mathilda is gone for the night; I'll sleep with the children in the nursery," she said, "You know what he needs, and can fulfill those same needs better than I ever could. Take care of him, Robin Hood."

Robin nodded, wordlessly, too wrapped up in Guy to bother with any other kind of a response. Marian left the room, shutting and latching the door behind her, and Robin fervently hoped that the walls of Locksley Manor were still as thick as he recalled them being from when he was still in residence. Guy was clearly in no fit state to travel to the forest, where many of their trysts took place, and Robin honestly doubted whether the knight's legs could even hold him and support his weight for the duration of the trip. Remaining at Locksley, then, was their only viable option, and Robin was never more thankful to Marian for turning a blind eye to what he and her husband got up to.

"What do you need, love?" he whispered, tilting Guy's head back so that they were looking directly into each other's eyes, however much Guy may have tried to avert his gaze. "Tell me."

Guy shuddered at hearing the command in Robin's tone. _This_ was what he needed: for Robin to take control by guiding him along the correct path and punishing him when he strayed. In that moment, Guy thought that he would gladly crawl on his belly to grovel at Robin's feet, even going so far as to kiss his boots, if it meant that his crimes would be forgiven, grave though they were. If Robin would just hold him, and tell him that everything would be all right, then maybe Guy would believe him, or at least be able to fool himself for just a little while longer.

"Make me hurt; make me bleed," Guy begged of Robin, desperately clutching his arm. "I couldn't save your man, and now I want for you to make me pay."

Robin knew better than to protest – Guy could be incredibly stubborn when he so chose, even when his opponent was Robin – and simply held the other man for a moment longer. One last show of kindness before he became the cruel master and Guy nothing more than his slave. He then abruptly shoved him away, sending Guy sprawling. "On your feet!" he hissed. Slowly, Guy did so, and then Robin was upon him, beating him with his fists, though not where anyone could see. Neither of them wanted questions asked should Guy appear in public with a black eye and be unable to adequately explain from where he had received such an injury.

They moved towards the center of the room and began circling each other. Not that Guy had any intention of laying a hand on Robin; he would rather die than do so. He simply knew from previous experience that the other man preferred a moving target to one that was stationary, which meant that standing still and taking his beating in silence was not an option.

When Robin sent Guy staggering back for the third time in the span of just a few minutes, he raised himself from out of his predatory crouch and approached the black knight, who had fallen against his wife's marriage chest at the foot of the bed and was panting from the exertion of their 'fight', if it could even be called such. Robin pulled him upright by the buckles on his leather jacket and began to tear the very clothes from off Guy's back until he was completely naked. Guy, for his part, offered no resistance, merely helping Robin where required and otherwise remaining detached from what was happening around him.

Unnerved by Guy's stoicism, Robin slapped him sharply across the face, but Guy remained unresponsive apart from bowing his head to kiss the hand that had struck him. Robin almost recoiled in shock at Guy's actions, before remembering his role: Guy needed for him to be the master. Only later could Robin afford to soften his heart and love Guy as the other man deserved.

At a nod from Robin, Guy climbed slowly onto the bed and lay down on his stomach, grabbing a pillow to rest his head on and to muffle his cries when the time came. He was eager – and also _not_ – for his punishment to begin, preferring to just get it over with and move on to when Robin would carefully prepare him and then enter his body so that he was filled by the other man's cock. Afterwards, Robin would then gather him in his arms, holding him close and soothing his hurts until they both fell asleep.

The clink of Robin unbuckling his belt was the only warning that Guy had before Robin began to strike, the leather strap landing with exacting precision wherever he intended and raising a number of welts on Guy's recently healed skin that encompassed the backs of his legs, his buttocks, and even his shoulders. Robin held nothing back, a red mist that was borne of rage and a desire to exact revenge for Roy's senseless death descending over him as he continued to flay Guy with his belt.

Guy endured as best he could, clutching the pillow to him and burying his face in the soft cushion as he tried to force back the sobs threatening to erupt from somewhere deep inside of him, a dark place that he had never dared venture to for fear of what he might discover. It was from here that this need of his for Robin to punish him came from, much as he would prefer for his relationship with the outlaw to mirror his sham of a relationship with Marian, which was sweet and tender and loving. Guy knew that Robin would stop in an instant if the other man realized how much he was truly hurting him, but the pain had dulled his senses and Guy couldn't seem to find the strength to raise his head from the pillow, his only lifeline, and speak the words that would halt Robin in his tracks.

In the end, he didn't need to, for Robin stopped of his own accord after having struck a particularly hard blow and breaking skin. At the sight of crimson drops of blood on both the cracked leather of his belt and on Guy, it was as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. He stood stunned for a moment, horrified at what he had done, then threw the belt away as if it had burned him and dashed for a nearby basin and flannel. Dunking the flannel in the basin, he cautiously dabbed at the many wounds he had inflicted on Guy, not daring to say a word for fear of being overcome by the tears that had instantly sprung to his eyes once the haze clouding his thoughts had cleared; nor did he feel that he deserved to beg for Guy's forgiveness when he already knew that he would never be able to forgive himself. Although tempted to blame Guy for remaining silent and not stopping him when he should have done so, Robin knew that he alone was responsible and that it would be unfair of him to lash out at Guy as a result.

The cut that Robin had caused was shallow, and soon stopped bleeding. Robin then set aside the flannel and basin, instead lowering himself onto the mattress, propping himself up on one elbow and skimming a hand teasingly down the length of Guy's back. Guy shuddered at the touch, but remained in place, holding fast to his belief that his body was Robin's to do with as he pleased and that he should have no say in how his master used him.

"Why didn't you stop me?" Robin whispered brokenly, his voice the first sound to break the silence apart from Guy's harsh pants as he gasped for breath, his face being buried in a pillow having done him little good. Robin, as if sensing this, gently slid a hand beneath Guy's cheek and turned the other man's head so that he was no longer being suffocated.

Guy's eyes remained demurely lowered as he refused to meet Robin's concerned gaze. At last, though, he could no longer remain silent. "I'm yours, to do with as you will," he whispered with eyes still closed, finding it easier to speak if he wasn't looking directly at Robin. "I may not be able to openly declare myself as such, but never doubt that I am yours, heart and soul."

"I don't doubt you, Guy," Robin assured him, continuing to stroke his back in as soothing a manner as he could manage under the present circumstances. He didn't know how Guy could still bear his touch after what he'd done and what his actions had resulted in, but he wasn't about to question his luck. "I'm sorry for what's happened to you, and by my own hand, no less. I don't know what came over me. I suppose that I was more affected by Roy's death than I would have you, or anyone else, believe."

"It's all right, Robin; I understand," Guy murmured, slowly sitting up and reaching for Robin, pulling the other man on top of him and laying back down along the length of the bed. When it looked as though Robin would refuse his advances, Guy simply said, "I've had my punishment, and now I'd like my reward." As Robin wavered, appearing to be on the cusp of refusing Guy's request, he said softly, "Please, Robin," knowing the outlaw's weakness for him speaking in such a manner, and exploiting it to his advantage.

Smiling gently down at him, Robin kissed Guy sweetly on the lips, threading his fingers through Guy's silken black locks and holding Guy's head firmly between his own two hands. "Only if you're sure," he said, giving Guy the chance to back out. In response, Guy merely rolled his hips so that his and Robin's erections brushed together and sent waves of pleasure coursing through the other's veins. "You tease," said Robin, kissing the tip of Guy's nose before dashing off, his sudden absence leaving Guy feeling decidedly bereft.

While waiting for Robin's return, Guy planted his feet on the mattress and spread his legs so that Robin would have an unobstructed view of his fully-erect cock that was already leaking pre-come onto the sheets. A cheeky grin spread across Guy's face as he thought about Marian's expression when she saw the state of the bed the next morning, and he wondered what she would tell the maids who came to do the washing. He was startled from his thoughts by the feel of a slick finger at his entrance, and he looked up to find Robin, now naked, crouched between his legs, having just returned from reaching over to place a vial of lavender-scented oil on the bedside table.

Guy shivered as he felt the excess oil drip down between his legs to coat his upper thighs. Then he sighed in contentment, relaxing even further as the cool liquid touched some of the marks left over from Robin's belt. His response did not go unnoticed by the outlaw in question, but Robin gamely ignored his own discomfort in favor of seeing to Guy's pleasure. Crooking the finger still inside Guy, he began to move it, experimentally, in circular motions, seeking to loosen Guy up enough so that he would eventually be able to accept the full length of Robin's shaft.

Since his return from the Crusades several months before, and despite the setback of having been declared an outlaw, Robin and Guy had still managed to see enough of each other so that it no longer took very long for Guy to be prepared to both his and Robin's satisfaction. As such, on this particular night, Robin was soon seated fully within Guy, remaining still until the other man was close to bursting with anticipation, and only then pulling out before slamming back in.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was, for once, not secured to the bedposts in any way – and interpreting this as Robin's tacit permission to touch and take his pleasure from Robin however he saw fit to do so – Guy trailed his hands seductively down the length of Robin's back, tracing the nob of his spine until he reached the taut globes of Robin's arse. Kneading the meaty flesh between his two hands, Guy used his grip on Robin's buttocks to guide the other man in and out of his puckered hole at a faster pace than Robin might have otherwise preferred, as the archer had so far been attempting to treat Guy with care after their rough start earlier that evening.

Guy let his head fall back against the pillows surrounding him and closed his eyes, intending to fully enjoy the feeling of Robin filling him with his essence, for their time together was short; their meetings few and far between, and all the more precious for their rarity. Soon, Robin would have to leave to return to the forest, while Guy would be forced to continue with his charade as the Sheriff's loyal deputy.

Apart from muted moans and groans – neither one wanted to wake the children, after all, not to mention Marian – no words were exchanged as Robin thrust in and out, back and forth for many moments, until his hips stuttered, and with one final thrust, he released his seed within Guy, who followed over the brink mere moments later, coming with a strangled cry and spilling between their bodies. Robin collapsed on top of Guy, momentarily forgetting about his delicate condition, and pressed his forehead to Guy's while his arms bracketed the other man's face. Enjoying their closeness, and despite the pain that bearing Robin's weight resulted in, Guy wrapped his arms around the small of the outlaw's back to ensure that he remained sheathed within him. Their breaths comingled as their chests rose and fell in synchronization, sleep gradually stealing over the sated pair.

Eventually, though, Robin roused himself enough to pull out of Guy, retrieving the previously discarded flannel and basin and giving himself a perfunctory swipe with the cloth before approaching Guy, who lay limp on the bed, breathing heavily. Carefully cleansing Guy of his seed, Robin also made sure to daub at the bruises rapidly blossoming on Guy's pale skin. While he knew that Marian would tend to Guy's injuries the next day – and Robin shuddered to think of what her reaction would be – he still wanted to do his part, as penance for having hurt Guy in the first place. Once he'd attended to both their needs, Robin joined Guy beneath the covers, taking him in his arms and stroking between his shoulder blades, as well as down the length of his back, until his hand was resting on the swell of Guy's arse, where his buttocks and thighs merged. He held Guy close to his own body, using his grip on Guy's tender flesh to keep him in place, while his other hand smoothed Guy's sweaty locks from his brow.

Pressing his lips to Guy's forehead, Robin laced his fingers with Guy's and held the hand up to his cheek, turning his head to tenderly kiss the palm, and running a finger over the mountains and valleys of Guy's knuckles. "Sleep, love," he whispered soothingly in Guy's ear. "I'll still be here in the morning when you wake up."

"You'd better be," Guy mumbled, already half-asleep himself.

Chuckling softly, Robin lay his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes, allowing for the warmth emanating from Guy's body to envelope him in a cocoon of safety. His hands continued their gentle ministrations, running up and down the length of Guy's body and soothing his hurts, before eventually falling away as sleep claimed the elusive outlaw.

Morning came far too soon for Robin's liking, the early morning light streaming in through the shutters and falling directly on his eyes. Blinking blearily, he sat up and stretched out the kinks in his muscles, which had stiffened up over the night from their exertions the previous evening. Leaning over, he kissed Guy awake, like in the fairy stories they'd been read as children, and smiled as his eyelids fluttered languidly, wakefulness being slow to come. Hardly giving Guy time to respond, Robin was up and moving about the room, gathering his clothes together and dressing.

Guy struggled to sit up, wincing as he felt the abused flesh of his back pull and strain, although he attempted to hide his discomfort from Robin. When the outlaw reached for his bow and quiver of arrows, Guy surged to his feet in alarm, wrapping the sheet around his body as he went. "Where are you going?" he croaked, sleep still fogging his voice, as well as the tears he refused to let fall.

"I've outstayed my welcome," said Robin simply, as if stating an obvious fact. "Surely you can see that."

"If this is about what happened yesterday... Robin, you were perfectly justified in your actions against me."

"No, I wasn't," Robin protested, gently but firmly. "Guy, nothing gave me the right to treat you as I did last night, to so utterly abuse your trust in me."

"I agreed, Robin, long before last night, to let you do whatever you pleased with me. I gave my consent, my word – and I'm not going back on it."

"Nor am I asking you to," said Robin. "I just think that maybe we should take a break, at least until you've healed from last night. Spend some time with your wife and children; lead the Sheriff on a merry chase; look to others besides myself to guide you. I cannot always be your conscience, Guy of Gisborne; there comes a time when you must take responsibility for your own actions."

"Are you saying that you don't want me anymore?" Guy whispered, backing away from Robin and clutching the sheet closer to his body like a shield.

"No, no, no – that's not what I'm saying; not at all," said Robin hurriedly, holding out his hands in a gesture of surrender as he slowly approached Guy, wary of startling him and thus treating him as he would a frightened horse.

"I don't require coddling, _Hood_," snapped Guy, some of the fire that he showed solely to the outside world – his passivity and submissiveness being reserved for Robin alone – surfacing upon correctly interpreting Robin's body language.

Robin's eyes tightened minutely as he saw how the bruises that had only been shadows before now stood out in stark contrast to Guy's pale skin; and he knew that if Guy were to turn his back on him and drop the sheet, then he would be offered an unobstructed view of his arse, which would be littered with cuts and welts – and, on occasion, even the imprint of Robin's belt buckle.

They were at an impasse, and one that neither knew how to overcome. Guy knew full well why Robin avoided his gaze, and he sought to assure him that he didn't hold any grudges. As he'd already said, he'd given his consent and wasn't about to renege. But the words he was looking for stuck in his throat, and he remained silent. Likewise, Robin wanted more than anything to say that nothing had ever, nor would ever, give him the right to treat Guy as he had the night before, so utterly abusing the black knight's trust in him. As with Guy, though, he couldn't find the words with which to start, and so chose to remain silent instead.

Fetching his bow and quiver from where he had deposited them the previous night, Robin slung them both over his shoulder and approached Guy, going up on the tips of his toes to kiss him chastely on the lips. "See you 'round, Gisborne," he said, voice suddenly clogged with tears and subsequently catching on the last word.

"Goodbye, Robin," Guy replied stiffly, offering no resistance when Robin abruptly broke the kiss and tore himself away.

Lightly leaping up to the window sill, Robin jumped down to the ground without a backward glance and jogged off in the direction of the woods, disappearing from Guy's sight into the early morning fog, the only trace he left behind being that of his footprints in the dew-sprinkled grass. With the sheet slung low on his hips, Guy leaned heavily against the window frame, his arms bracketing the shutters as he leaned his head outside to breathe in the fresh clean smell of a new day. Ruminating on Robin's departure, as well as the last kiss that they had shared, Guy was drawn from his thoughts by a soft knock at the door.

"Come in, Marian," he called out. No one else would dare to disturb him so early in the morning, especially after a night spent with Robin. Marian entered cautiously, glancing around at the corners of the room and even behind the door itself, as if Robin might be hiding in the shadows to escape detection. "He's already gone," said Guy tersely.

Marian then turned her face towards Guy, her sharp intake of breath informing him that she had seen his state of dress – or lack thereof – and what his clothes would have otherwise hidden. "What happened?" she asked, surprisingly calm as she assessed the damage done to her husband and glided forward on near-silent feet with one hand cradling her swollen belly, being now close to five months with child.

"He lost control," Guy answered succinctly. "I asked him to punish me for Roy's death, but he got carried away. That's all, Marian. It was no one's fault. It just _happened_."

"It's not my place to question what you two get up to; that's between you and Robin," said Marian as she bent over to retrieve the salve and bandages from the bedside table. "I won't pretend to understand, but I will say that love makes us do strange things for the one we've given our heart to."

A strange melancholy note had entered Marian's voice when speaking of love and the giving away of one's heart, causing Guy to glance up in an attempt to meet her eyes as he wondered whether she spoke from experience or had merely been listening too closely to the minstrels again. Marian's face was averted, though, and the silence stretched between them as she gave herself over to the task of healing his wounds.

"There," she said, finally, wrapping the last of the bandages around his torso. "You should live, I think." Marian smiled teasingly at him, before stepping away to give Guy his space. She sensed that he needed time alone to think, and so she retreated back to the door, speaking only to offer an opportunity for him to unburden himself to her. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly, one hand on the doorknob, ready to make her escape should his temper explode and he lash out at her.

"No, I'm fine," Guy replied, smiling weakly at Marian. He knew what she was trying to do, and he appreciated her efforts, but they were futile. There was only one person who could help him now, and he was already back in the forest where he belonged, most likely never to return.

"All right, then," said Marian, her smile sad as she looked upon her husband with pity, wishing to reach out to him but unsure as to how her advances would be received. "I'll leave you now."

As the door closed behind her, Guy swore in frustration and slammed his fist into the bedpost, only to curse again as a sharp pain radiated up the length of his arm. Twisting his shoulder experimentally, Guy shrugged off his discomfort and proceeded to get ready for the day, shucking on his black leather pants and jacket before girding his sword around his waist. He had just bent down to retrieve his gloves when he came across the belt that Robin had used to beat him with the night before and which he had promptly thrown away when he realized how much he was hurting Guy. The knight kicked the belt away from him underneath the bed, as if hiding it would change what it had caused to have happen.

No matter what Robin might say, Guy knew that he had lost him – and for good, this time. Robin had never wanted to punish him in the first place, yet Guy had insisted. And now that his blood was on Robin's hands, the other man would surely never touch him again. Striding aggressively over to the window, Guy leaned as far out as he dared, peering into the woods in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive outlaw. Guy hardly wanted for the last sight of his lover to be of him walking away. Alas, there was not hide or hair to be seen of Robin, and so Guy pulled his head into the room once more and turned his back on the window, just as Robin had done when he left him alone.


End file.
